Coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the big bend slider, Trachemys gaigeae (Testudines: Emydidae), in New Mexico

Twenty-nine Big Bend sliders Trachemys gaigeae (Hartweg, 1934) were collected from Socorro County, New Mexico, and their feces examined for coccidial parasites. Three (10%) of the turtles were found to be infected with at least 1 coccidian. Seven Eimeria spp. (E. chrysemydis, E. graptemydos, E. marginata, E. pseudemydis, E. pseudogeographica, E. stylosa, and E. trachemydis) were harbored by T. gaigeae. All represent new host and distributional records for these previously described coccidians. In addition, a single sympatric western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) harbored E. chrysemydis, E. graptemydos, and E. trachemydis. The latter coccidian is reported for the first time from C. picta bellii.